Those Who Read the Hearts of Evil

Also called "Though the Darkness." The name is apt for the journey the main protagonist has to undergo. Criminal profiling is quite a difficult job as this show reveals. Nam-gil Kim effortlessly carries the plot with his quiet demeanor and focus.

It's interesting to see how the relationships among the detectives grow and how their approach to investigations develop. Shoutout to the director, Park Bo-Ram, who created a crime drama set in the late 90s that is believable.

This show is definitely among the best true crime stories that have emerged from South Korea. Highly recommended.

I usually watch Kim Nam Gil with playful and funny character. Here in this movie all his funny and playfulness are completely gone. He becomes very serious , persistent, and meticulous person. This proves that he worked hard to animate this character.

This is very serious drama unlike other korean drama that usually combine romantic and comedy into the movie to make more enjoyable to more people. I believe some persons might get bored to watch this. It is very idealistic. No romantic, no fun, nothing but thrill and suspense.

I think it will be classic. I don't think this kind of drama will arise again in 5 - 10 years from now.

'Those Who Reads the Hearts of Evil' approaches crime genre in fresher way. Rather than focusing on thriller of catching a crime and investing time in evil's point of view, it emphasizes more on how crimes affect mindset of those who pursue the evil 'after' criminals get caught. The director succeeds in fixating viewers to stay concentrated during long takes of interrogation, making it 'feel' brief and interesting. Sometimes interview with serial killers is hard to watch not because it it is boring but because it is intensely realistic. It is so shocking and nauseous that much evil can exist in one person.

Dramas and events in the series are roller-coaster and appalling throughout, but narrative and style remain calm, organized, and controlled. It is the main reason that audience can keep watching the show non-stop without getting tired or burdened. Great balance to make a show captivating and consistent at the same time.

A captivating and binge worthy detective drama series, this is the Korean version of the hit series Mindhunter. Everything about this is on point. Amazing acting, script, cinematography, soundtrack and overall production value. Pretty much as good as it gets.

Many compared Through the Darkness to the US series Mindhunter. Though they share some elements, they are completely different shows. One focuses on the mind of serial killers. This one focuses on the psychology of profilers.

They could not have found a better actor to portray an empath. And they couldn't have written a better script to profile the empath archetype: quiet, introverted, loner with few social connections. It's downright eerie how well the empath type was depicted. This personality type takes every emotion they're exposed to onto themselves. If they're not careful, their burden will consume them.

By contrast, the serial killers' stories were deliberately made crass and vulgar to underscore the banality of evil.

If you're going into this with a 'Korean Mindhunter' mindset, you'll likely be disappointed, like so many other commenters. But if you like intense psychological exploration, this is the show for you.